To think this is a shite birthday present?

It was Dd2's birthday last week. Today my her aunt (my ex's sister) sent down her present, she was on holiday abroad last week. The present is a mug which reads something along the lines of "I was remembered in Spain".

I could understand something nice bought on holiday, I could understand a mug emblazoned with something a 14 year old would love, but a souvenir mug? For a birthday present? Even in my skintest days I could come up with something better than that. And she isn't skint btw, she's got more than her fair share of money. whole different thread on that can of worms

You need to look at this in a different light. This is the kind of thing her aunt likes, so next time you have to give her a present, remember this. No present is tacky enough - have fun buying something!

A new take on "all I got was this lousy t-shirt". I'd laugh a lot. I'm sure your DD2 had a good day, she'll probably remember that as her first wtf? present. Mine was a pillowcase from Oz (my great uncle had been the YEAR before); I was 16. It had a cutsey cartoon koala with a surfboard. What are families for if not to provide short stories of amusement.

My Nan decided to get me a 5 yr lockable diary when I was in my 30s! No reason but she was visiting family abroad and saw it and thought I would love it. To be fair it was the start of her getting a lot more confused. Now she is no longer with us it is a nice/funny memory of her that makes me smile.

My gran's friend always gets us the most hilarious gifts. Last year my 18yo brother got a scatter cushion. The year before my auntie was given a hand-knitted waistcoat. I received a full set of egg cups when I was about 15

When I was a child I had an Aunt that bought me a very obviously second hand puzzle book once. All the puzzles had already been done. Another time she gave me a matching pencil and biro in a scruffy old box. The biro had run out. I didn't really mind though, I thought it was quite funny.

Today I got two bike pumps (and a little bag for under my saddle, which I wanted). Last year I got a Highway Code and a book on how to ride a motorbike. The year before I got a "joke" book on grammar. I really feel my DP has no idea what sort of person I am. He almost forgot this year and was only alerted by my DS singing hbdty to me. I used to get so excited about my birthdays until I met him!

My mum got me a waste paper bin one christmas. Seriously. A wicker one.My aunt buys everyone those charity donation cards. Two years ago at christmas an African village were bought the sum total of two toilets, a goat and some chickens iirc. Then she had nerve to moan that we hadn't put much effort into getting gifts for her.

My nana gives us each "a bag of shite," as we've dubbed it, every xmas. Highlights have been a kitten calendar for my db (23 at the time and mahoosively allergic to cats), a lime green shoe shaped glasses holder for me and 2 year put of date baileys for my Dsis!